All About Jazz Band Instruments
While your child may have been in the marching band or the concert band, they may also be interested in joining a Jazz band. Jazz band instruments are something to be considered when a child first decides to join band or as they learn, if they find they are interested in one of the jazz instruments, they can switch. Of course, in any of the music programs at school, they may have the opportunity to switch to a variety of instruments according to the band instructor or school music director.
Some of the instruments you’ll find in a jazz band are very similar to the ones that you may find in a concert band and often include instruments such as the trumpet or coronet, the clarinet, the saxophone, both the tenor and bass trombone, drums, the piano, and the double bass a string instrument. You may also find the bass guitar, the Congo drums, a banjo, the tuba, acoustic guitar, a keyboard synthesizer, and others.
There is no doubt that children who play in band appreciate music the rest of their lives, given the opportunity to jazz it up a bit, many music students at the high school level really enjoy a jazz band. You’ll often see those students who are playing musical instruments at home, and yet aren’t in concert band or the marching band, will be included in the jazz band. This offers a variety of students and styles of music to the jazz band.
One of the ways to introduce your child to jazz music is to listen to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and Strings, the Art Blakely Quintet, John Coltrain, Miles Davis, as well as Freddie Hubbard. Any one of these jazz musicians will introduce your child to the music of jazz, and before you know it, they’ll be running rifts on their trumpet, clarinet, trombone or coronet.
If your child is interested in a jazz band instrument, make sure that you speak with the music director at school before you go out and buy one. Often, music students from the past who no longer play donate their instruments to the school that they played at. So your music instructor may be able to help you avoid paying for a second instrument. Also, look to used instruments, your community support groups, flea markets, secondhand stores, and of course their rental programs and purchase plans available.
By: Arman Hansen
